AGARTALA / SHILLONG, April 6 (TIWN): The banned militant outfit National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) would not surrender until their demands are fulfilled full-fledged by the central govt., said NLFT Spokesman Danniel Debbarma talking to TIWN on Sunday evening. He said recently the NLFT leaders had a talk with the Central Govt. in regard of their demands, and another meeting would be held after the TTAADC election declared to be held on May 3, 2015. “As of now the NLFT militants would not surrender until their demands are fulfilled by the Central govt.” According to the source, the state govt. here has confirmed the move of tripartite talks recently. He said, “We do want peace here at the state and we are on a move to the central govt. to fulfill our demands”. He also said that NLFT would not surrender but would maintain peace here at the state. Members of Tripura’s two militant groups - NLFT and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) sheltered and availed arms training in Bangladesh, which shares 856-km border with Tripura. Both outfits, banned in 1997, have set up multiple bases in Bangladesh and get support from other separatist groups, ULFA of Northeast India.NLFT, which was formed in 1989 with a pledge to fight for a separate tribal homeland, became crippled after three of its factions surrendered under separate arrangements with the central government since year 2000.

They have been demanding secession of Tripura from India. As most of the ATTF cadres have surrendered in Tripura, the outlawed outfit is almost non-existent now.

It’s banned under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act of 1967, and police had framed sedition and serious criminal charges against its top leaders and many cadres for unleashing bloody campaign against troops and non-tribal population. 

They ruled out possibility of any major bounty to the NLFT except a beneficial rehabilitation package to leaders and cadres mainly based in camps at Khagrachari district of Chittagong Hill Tracts and Sylet region of Bangladesh. The group is also under tremendous pressure in Bangladesh owing to frequent combing and search operations by security forces across the border.

The State Government, on November 29, 2014, decided to extend the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) - 1958 for another six months. AFSPA was first enforced in Tripura in 1997, when terrorism was at its peak. In view of the improvement in the situation and the lessening of terrorist activities, the Tripura Government had, in June 2013, reviewed its application and reduced the operational areas of the Act to 30 Police Station areas, from the earlier 40.